Will it Finally Happen? A New Macro Lens Longer Than 100mm With Variable Magnification

[koenkooi]

A long macro, with decent AF would be very welcome! I enjoy using the EF180L, but the AF on that is glacial, making it harder to get the shots I want. I'd even take a 300mm lens with 0.5x magnification for butterflies and reptiles. But a 200-ish 2x magnification with AF and IS is the dream

 

[koenkooi]

Why would anyone want a 'light' macro lens? IMHO, all serious macro photography happens on a tripod. [...]

I rarely use a tripod, even for focus stacks. I think >99% of my macro work is without a tripod, but apparently that means it is unserious.

 

[Exploreshootshare]

Do consider the RF 100-400 too - it has good magnification (though not true macro) especially at the long end of the range. Butterflies are generally too big for 1:1 anyway.

I do/ did. I used to own the RF 100-400mm and I actually shot some butterflies with it in 2024. I gave the lens to my father-in-law because he wanted a tele-option for his R7 and I already own the 70-200mm and 100-500mm lenses. If I get a great offer, I'll someday get it again. I can burrow it anytime I want, I might just do that next week. Thx for the reminder

 

[neuroanatomist]

Why would anyone want a 'light' macro lens? IMHO, all serious macro photography happens on a tripod.

So no ‘serious macro photography’ involves moving insects, or specimens in the field left in situ? Well, you are welcome to YHO. I disagree with it.

 

[sanj]

I would love to see great hand held macro insect shots. Anyone here done that? Thx EDIT: Alive, active insects...

 

[blackcoffee17]

Why would anyone want a 'light' macro lens? IMHO, all serious macro photography happens on a tripod. And I have found that a longer macro lens works better for me as it gives me space to place strobes and other lights without getting cramped.

So? You think the lens will just levitate towards the tripod? It still needs to be carried in bags, airplanes and carried on the field hunting for subjects. It matters if the lens is 1kg or just 500g. For example I would happily take a F5.6 200mm macro.

 

[neuroanatomist]

I would love to see great hand held macro insect shots. Anyone here done that? Thx EDIT: Alive, active insects...

Are these 'great'? I don't know, but I'm happy with them. They were all handheld. The first two are the same mantis that was hanging out in my back yard for several hours.

"Mantis Prey"

EOS 1D X, EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, 1/160 s, f/11, ISO 6400

"Mantis" – The 'black' background on this is because of the effective aperture of f/56 that eliminates the contribution from ambient light, so only the subject lit by the twin flash is visible. I have a rig* where I put a regular flash (600EX) on a bracket with an extension to light the background, but in this case the background was somewhat distant and not very interesting so I let it go black.

EOS 1D X, MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro @ ~3x, 1/250 s, f/14, ISO 400, MT-24EX

"Little Hopper" – this little guy was <1 cm long

EOS 5D Mark II, MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro @ 3.5x, 1/60 s, f/14, ISO 400, MT-24EX

*Here's that rig:

 

[Del Paso]

Why would anyone want a 'light' macro lens? IMHO, all serious macro photography happens on a tripod. And I have found that a longer macro lens works better for me as it gives me space to place strobes and other lights without getting cramped.

Scientific macro, maybe.
But many outstanding "serious" macro shots were made handheld.

 

[Nemorino]

I would love to see great hand held macro insect shots. Anyone here done that? Thx EDIT: Alive, active insects...

Some examples I just posted here:
https://www.canonrumors.com/forum/threads/butterflies-moths-and-assorted-insects.31073/post-1041670

R5 + RF 100L macro

 

[Nemorino]

And with R5 + Laowa 60mm macro

And I could post thousands more...

 

[neuroanatomist]

And I could post thousands more...

Yeah, but…are they serious?

 

[Nemorino]

No, because I am to lazy to carry a tripod!

 

[Nemorino]

By the way, isn't every lens changing magnification when changing focus distance?

 

[neuroanatomist]

No, because I am to lazy to carry a tripod!

Tripods come in many sizes. Maybe you just need a smaller one?

 

[yeahright]

very much alive and active insects, handheld, but maybe not a macro shot

 

[classie787]

I'd be interested in a variable focal length macro lens that achieves 1:1 magnification moreso than a higher-magnification lens. Something like a 50-150mm macro lens. Doesn't have to be fast for my uses. F4 or F5.6 is fine enough for me for such glass.

 

[sanj]

Nice photos. Thanks for sharing. Makes me reconsider my statement.

 

[David - Sydney]

IMHO, all serious macro photography happens on a tripod.

IYHO that may be correct as some think that their use case is the only "serious" use case for a lens/genre.
since we are sharing shots of handheld macro... some cropping but pretty small critters
Nailing the focus at f2.8 of the blue dragon was tough!

 

[Jasonmc89]

I’m a macro photographer and something that can autofocus at 5x mag would be VERY desirable to me! Focus bracketing slime molds for example. At the moment I use a 100mm macro, with a set of ext tubes and a Raynox to get enough magnification for slimes.

 

[Jasonmc89]

I'll say from the top that this information comes from an anonymous source, but I'm told that a new macro lens longer than 100mm is planned. The source claims that it would would have multiple magnification ratios. Canon has made macro lenses that are longer than 100mm. The last one being the EF 180mm f/3.5L […]

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I would love to see great hand held macro insect shots. Anyone here done that? Thx EDIT: Alive, active insects...